June 13: Lead Safe Advisory Board
Covered by Documenters Jabril Shabazz (notes) and Chanel Wiley (notes)
A ‘dive towards failure’
Cleveland continues to struggle to meet its lead safe goals. To meet its goal of full compliance by 2028, the city would need to receive 3,200 first-time lead safe certification applications a quarter. Over the last year, new first-time applications have hovered around 350 to 550 per quarter, according to lead safe auditor Rob Fischer’s presentation at the June 13 Lead Safe Advisory Board meeting.
“[New applications have] plateaued at this lower level that we know is not going to get the job done,” said Fischer, who is also a professor at Case Western Reserve University. Other places – such as Detroit and Rochester – have also struggled to meet lead safe goals, according to Fischer’s report.
While Cleveland is working on simplifying the certification process for property owners, one public commenter spoke about what he said is a shrinking pool of lead inspectors.
There are not enough inspectors, said Zak Burkons of PbFree Ohio, a Cleveland-based lead assessment company. He added that inspectors he has spoken with cite bureaucracy issues with the City of Cleveland.
“We continue to dive towards failure,” he said.
Burkons also worked as a lobbyist to write and find sponsors for Ohio House Bill 280, a bill intended to increase compliance with lead safe laws.
Are you a landlord interested in learning more about lead-safe certification?
CHN’s Lead Program provides home loans, grants and incentives to help landlords obtain their certification. This program is offered in partnership with the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition.
Open seat on Cleveland’s Lead Safe Advisory Board
There is one open seat on the Lead Safe Advisory Board following Sonia Monroy Matis’ departure. The board also seeks the reappointment of Scott Kroehle and Wyonette Cheairs.
The mayor will make all three appointments; Cleveland City Council must approve them.
Mayor Justin Bibb is working on creating an open call for applications for the seat, according to Emily Collins from the mayor’s office. Anyone can apply, added Kroehle.
Board Member Diana Shulsky said Burkons should apply. He’s “really in the trenches” as a private lead inspector, she said.
Technical troubles continue
Cleveland’s Department of Building and Housing updated its online portal for rental registrations in early June, according to Director Sally Martin O’Toole. Applications were coming in before the ransomware attack, she said.
The cyber attack also contributed to delays to the new lead safe certification application, as did the need for a new coding script. The city hopes to launch the new application by the end of June, according to O’Toole.
There needs to be an intense focus on user experience as the city and its partners try to build a functional system for certification and regulation, said Kroehle.
Read the notes from Documenter Jabril Shabazz:
Read the notes from Documenter Chanel Wiley:
